WATCH: Daniil Medvedev Gets Point Penalty and Hits Umpire’s Chair in Frustration

Published 01/09/2020, 7:30 AM EST

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World No.5 Daniil Medvedev defeats Diego Schwartzman in a drama-filled three-setter 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in Sydney to seal the Russia vs Argentina tie and qualify for the semifinals of the ATP Cup 2020. The Russian star received a point penalty as he hit the umpire’s chair in a major break down in the match.

Daniil Medvedev with a solid start

Both the players started the match confidently as the games went with the serve till the fifth game. However, Diego Schwartzman lost concentration while serving at 2-3 as he was broken at 15.

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The Argentine looked to make a comeback into the set as he saved three set points while receiving to stay in the set at 4-5 and get the re-break. However, Daniil Medvedev closed the set 6-4 in 44 minutes with a break.

Diego Schwartzman calls Medvedev an ‘idiot’ in an animated set

In a replication of the opening set, both the players held their serve till 3-all with Schwartzman missing three break point opportunities on the Russian’s serve. The 27-year-old then broke Medvedev for the first time in the match at 4-3.

Before the break, Daniil Medvedev had a complete meltdown. He hit the umpire Mohamed Layhani’s chair twice with his racquet during a row over getting a previous code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct. Subsequently, he was handed with a second one followed by a point penalty.

The 23-year-old also exchanged some words with his opponent, when Schwartzman called him an ‘idiot’ after the spicy talk between the two.

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Schwartzman then served out the set 6-4 in one hour after saving a breakpoint in a 10-minute long service game.

Medvedev seals the tie

There was very little to differentiate between the two players in the final set as they held their serves respectively till 3-4 with Medvedev leading. He then got the crucial break at in the next game before serving out the set 6-3 and winning the tie for Russia in 2 hours and 23 minutes.

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“A few points of the match I thought I couldn’t do anything. I was so tired physically, Diego was playing amazing, I knew I just had to continue to fight and put balls in the court,” Medvedev said in the on-court interview.

 

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Written by:

Varun Khanna

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Starting off as a tennis author in 2018, Varun Khanna has gone on to contribute to EssentiallySports in various capacities. After setting up interviews with the likes of Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou, Alizé Cornet, and Noah Rubin, Varun is now part of all major ATP and WTA press conferences and has gone on to pen more than 1300 articles for EssentiallySports. He now heads the tennis and NBA division of the organization.
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